	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 6, 2007

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by University of New Mexico head coach Ritchie McKay, student-athletes J.R. Giddens and Daniel Faris.
Coach, if you would begin with some general comments on the game.
COACH McKAY: I thought we played well in the first half, especially the first 15 minutes or so I thought we defended really well. Then had a little trouble scoring to finish the half.
They got a couple easy baskets to get it to eight. We had a drought at the beginning of the half. Never got back in sync. We went up 34-40, just had trouble sustaining it offensively.
We didn't obviously shoot the ball very well, stopped attacking the paint. Those usually lead to a lack of success.
THE MODERATOR: Questions now directed to the student-athletes.

Q. J.R., you guys looked like you came out flat in the second half. Would that be a good way to describe that? If so, what do you think the difference was between that and the first half?
J.R. GIDDENS: Heart. That's all.

Q. Didn't have the same heart in the second half?
J.R. GIDDENS: Yeah, we didn't have that fight.

Q. Daniel, you guys started out this season so strong with five straight wins. Now here we are. In your mind, what happened? What went wrong?
DANIEL FARIS: I don't really know. I couldn't put my finger on one thing to say like what turned the season wrong.
You know, think I we still have the same talent we had when we were 5-0. We just had to get over that hump and we never could.
J.R. GIDDENS: Or 11-2.
THE MODERATOR: Guys, we'll let you two go. Thank you. Questions for Coach McKay.

Q. The zone that they went into, it seemed like it would play into your hands in the second half, but it didn't. Do you think you rushed some shots? What happened with that?
COACH McKAY: I thought we stopped attacking the paint. When teams go zone, you can't settle for threes. Tried to encourage them to go inside. We somehow didn't get it, especially didn't get it with any consistency.

Q. Little bittersweet ending for you here tonight. Obviously not what you wanted, I'm sure.
COACH McKAY: No, I don't like to lose. Obviously, I would have liked to continue.
But I've known my fate for a while in terms of my tenure at the University of New Mexico. I'm thankful for the opportunity the university gave me. I'm very hopeful that they continue to prosper. I'm sure their leadership will hire someone that can restore UNM's great tradition.
I'm just thankful for my five years and look forward to what God has for the future for myself and my family and my staff.

Q. You were 5-0, riding high. In your mind, what happened?
COACH McKAY: Well, I think when you're a team, it's not just about individuals. It's got to be the same guys rowing in the same direction at the same time. I think, for whatever reason, when adversity struck, we struggled to row in the same direction collectively.

Q. Sum up what you're feeling right now. How disappointing is this loss on what has to be one of the most disappointing seasons you've ever been involved in.
COACH McKAY: Yeah, no one wants to be 15-17 because it's below .500. I told you guys a couple weeks ago my life just isn't based on how many games I win. I'm hopeful that my staff and I had a great impact on our young people. I think we have.
Maybe others would choose to, you know, go their separate ways. You know, again, I've known for a while that I'm not going to be the coach here next year, so eventually this was going to end and we were going to have a press conference.
I would have hoped it would have been at a different time with more people out there, but it's not. That's the reality.
But tomorrow is a new day. I'm going to live tomorrow's 24 to the fullest.
THE MODERATOR: Thanks very much, coach.
COACH McKAY: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297